As computers become increasingly powerful and ubiquitous, users increasingly employ their computers for a broad variety of tasks. For example, in addition to traditional activities such as running word processing and database applications, users increasingly rely on their computers as an integral part of their daily lives. Programs to schedule activities, generate reminders, and provide rapid communication capabilities are becoming increasingly popular. Moreover, computers are increasingly present during virtually all of a person's daily activities. For example, hand-held computer organizers (e.g., PDAs) are more common, and communication devices such as portable phones are increasingly incorporating computer capabilities. Thus, users may be presented with output information from one or more computers at any time.
Accompanying the increasing use and portability of computers is an increasing desire on the part of users to obtain information through wireless and other communication media. When a consumer becomes aware of a situation in which they perceive a need that might be able to be fulfilled with goods or services that may or may not be available, they are currently limited in how they can gain product information. Often, when the need arrives, the consumer is not in a convenient circumstance to review printed materials, ask others, or wait for uncontrolled media like radio or television to present an advertisement or review. This inconvenience may result in the user choice that if significant effort or time is required to learn about potential product claims, availability, or cost is required to learn about the offered goods and services, then it is not worth it.
The advent of computers, especially when coupled to the data-rich environment of the Internet, expands consumer's ability to gain product information without regard for geographic proximity or time of day. However, current product search techniques rely on either what the user has directly specified (e.g., in a search text box), or past behavior (e.g., Internet merchants tracking past purchases). And, even though many product providers collect and sell individual and aggregate consumer profiles, and so do sometimes provide assistance to consumers as they consider offered products, there is currently no general mechanism such that detailed user characterizations can facilitate the location of a specific desired product or information.
Some Internet-related products, such as the Microsoft® Internet Explorer web browser, can record the information that a user enters in form fields. When the user begins filling out a new form, those values can automatically be entered or suggested, easing the form completion. Despite this easing, problems still exist with such products. One problem is that the user is limited to data already entered in other forms. Another problem is that such products require presentation to the user of form fields that are already filled out, which can be inconvenient for the user and degrade from the user-friendliness of the solution (e.g., it can be inconvenient for the user to see his or her name for every form).
Accordingly, there is a need for improved techniques for soliciting information.